The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the work of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), which will help shape the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Every five years, HHS and USDA update the guidelines, providing science-based advice on what to eat and drink to promote health, help reduce risks of chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs, NPPC explains.
NPPC raised concerns with some of the committee’s scientific discussions, especially regarding the updated Food Pattern Modeling Protocol. The comments noted when animal-based protein food subgroups are reduced and replaced with plant-based protein foods, there are several nutrient gaps, a decrease in essential amino acid bioavailability, and differences between nutrients attributed to animal- and plant-based foods.
In addition to decreasing certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients, reducing animal-based protein would disproportionately affect certain groups of people, NPPC said. Infants, young children, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults all require higher amounts of protein and nutrients that are provided by animal-based proteins.
NPPC said it’s time to acknowledge the devastating impacts of replacing animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins on the nutrition and food security of the American people. In addition, NPPC asked the agencies to carefully review the new food pattern modeling regarding decreasing or eliminating animal-based proteins, noting that it would “severely compromise the public’s health.”
“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans informs all federal nutrition programs and provides recommendations to health professionals,” NPPC explained. “With the rising prevalence of diet-related diseases and the ongoing challenge of food security, nutrition is paramount for addressing these critical issues, which tend to disproportionately affect underserved communities.”
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